HOME

When she got up for the second time that morning (this time it was an acceptable hour) she didn't know what to expect. She knew she'd have to face going into the kitchen, where Rhodey might be. She wasn't sure if she could face him. Not yet. The raw reality of what she'd told him hadn't healed, and she wanted to be able to look him in the eyes without having a breakdown.

Her grumbling stomach won the battle however; she hadn't eaten anything since breakfast yesterday, and the roaring void in her stomach made her moan. She needed food. And she knew Tony wouldn't allow her to hide from Rhodey forever by bringing her some. 

She quickly dressed, throwing on an old, oversized t-shirt she found abandoned at the bottom of the drawers. She coupled the look with a pair of loose yoga pants. Ileana knew she wasn't winning any fashion awards; she did feel extremely comfy. Especially since the clothes she'd been wearing had been sweaty and torn, it felt soothing getting into fresh ones. Gathering her courage, she fled the room, practically sprinting to the kitchen. Her screeching stomach was demanding that she feed it immediately, and she wasn't going to deny the beast. 

Ileana reached the kitchen, noticing that the two glasses that her and Tony had drunk from early this morning were abandoned on the side. She shook her head, making a mental note to clean the dishes later on. 

The second thing she noticed was the soft notes of music emitting from the room. It was sorrowful, romantic and gentle. She felt as though her ears had been blessed. Her curiosity got the better of her, so she let her feet drag her in the direction of the angelic notes. The melody got louder, and when she rounded the corner she awed at the sight. 

No words could do the scene before her justice. 

One of the tables had been draped in a white tablecloth, with rose petals thoughtfully spread across the surface. At the centre, two candles shone bright, their flames dancing to the classical music playing in the background. Their light reflected off of the polished porcelain plates, so exquisite that she knew that they were worth more than she'd ever spent in her life. 

Rhodey smiled from next to the table, dressed in a tuxedo. She melted immediately, his dazzling grin erasing the worry from her mind. It banished all of the thoughts that plagued her mind, about how he didn't know what he was in for and that she was severely under dressed. Yet the sight of his caring, handsome face made all of this none existent. 

He had powers he didn't even realise. 

If she could talk, she wouldn't. She was speechless at the scene, fighting hard against the tears building in her eyes. Then he did something she never expected from anyone, something that broke the dam that held the tears at bay. 

His hands moved in a language she understood. 

They were jumbled, and he was frowning at his hands a few times, grasping at his mind for what he wanted to express. Eventually, his hands spoke the words he could, but the ones he wanted couldn't. 

"Would you like to join me?"

She was terrified to open her mouth, knowing that a huge heaving sob would escape. It wasn't the sad type of sob - it was one of relief, one of happiness, one of joy. A eruption of light exploded within her - something she hadn't experienced in a long time. She was a supernova, her euphoria fuelling the blast. 

She nodded. 

The relief on his face was evident, but he tried to wash it away with a single thought. She caught it though. He was worried, she thought to herself as she took a seat at the table, with Rhodey before her rolling into the right position. He cared. This confused her. Maybe she had underestimated him. 

When she didn't think things couldn't get any better, Tony appeared around the corner, decked out in a bow tie shirt and a tray in his hand. He'd even glued a fake moustache to his upper lip, scrunching his nose a few times subtly. He bowed before the two of them, placing the tray on the table and lifting the lid. 

"Viola!" Tony exclaimed, in a terrible French accent. Ileana contained her giggles, nodding her head in Tony's direction. Rhodey attempted to stay serious, but when Tony's nose twitched again he howled. 

"You're never living this down, Tony!" Rhodey exclaimed, gasping through his spouts of laughter. Ileana let a grin overtake her face, as Tony turned to her with a hand hiding his mouth from Rhodey. 

He whispered, "Madame, I think he is a little crazy. I can cover for you if you want to run." 

She may have contemplated escape yesterday; now, she wanted to stay right where she was. Ileana shook her head, still resisting the urge to laugh at Tony. 

"Let me leave you be, call if you need me." Tony bowed again, and rushed away. He was most likely running away from the humiliation. 

Now that Tony had left the room, Ileana allowed a couple of chuckles to pass her lips. Rhodey was calming down, wiping his weeping eyes with the edge of the tablecloth. It fell silent, and Ileana felt like she couldn't take her eyes off of Rhodey. She needed to clear something up before they continued, otherwise it'd be eating at her for the entirety of the meal. She didn't want that to ruin it. 

Unable to think of how to speak her language to say it, she twisted and turned, looking for a pen and paper. As if he'd read her thoughts, Rhodey passed her a fresh notepad, the pen already uncapped. Gratefully she took it, sticking her tongue out as she wrote the words down. 

Aren't you bothered by me... being trans?

Rhodey read the words, the light in his eyes dying. Her heart tugged, and she knew that she'd ruined it all. Why did she have to keep screwing things up?

Rhodey handed her the notepad, casting a glance at his hands. His brows furrowed, and he looked up at Ileana. Her wide eyes encouraged him to speak aloud, unsure how to tell her in sign language. 

"Ileana," he reached across the table, grabbing her shaking hand in his. He rubbed his thumb along her skin, watching the effect it had on her. "You're Ileana, the woman I've been pining after ever since I woke up in hospital and found you sitting at my side, a candle in a time of darkness I never thought I'd ever experience. You're you, and that's all that matters." 

She couldn't keep the tears at bay, letting them again slide down her face. He softly smiled at her, reaching forward slightly and brushing them away. She leaned into his touch, embracing the warmth he provided her. Automatically, her eyes fluttered closed. 

Bliss. Complete and utter bliss. 

She had been homeless, on the streets, withering away and dying on the sidewalk. She had no home, no money, and no one. Ileana realised in that moment home wasn't a house, a building that sheltered you from the rain or the world. But it was a person. The very person who's hand caressed her cheek, who's eyes were filled with a never ending love, who cared for her for just the way she was.

Ileana had finally found her home.